Northern Ireland

Man arrested over paint-bomb attack on Ballyclare Catholic church

Paint was thrown at Sacred Heart Church in Ballyclare between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Picture by Ann McManus
Paint was thrown at Sacred Heart Church in Ballyclare between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Picture by Ann McManus Paint was thrown at Sacred Heart Church in Ballyclare between Saturday night and Sunday morning. Picture by Ann McManus

A 26-year-old man has been arrested by police invetigating a paint-bomb attack on a Catholic church in Ballyclare.

Police said the man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage while a 35-year-old woman was also cautioned for assisting an offender as part of the investigation

The damage to Sacred Heart Church on Doagh Road in Ballyclare was reported on Easter Sunday morning and police said they were treating it as a hate crime.

South Antrim Ulster Unionist Party members, including MLA Steve Aiken, have condemned the paint-bomb attack.

"We are totally disgusted at what has happened at a place of worship," the UUP members said in the statement.

"Desecration is a disgusting act at any time of the year but at Easter it is even more poignant. We are all really angry that people would target their Catholic neighbours’ sacred place of worship in this despicable way."